Better to wait for cooler weather. Why start off with plants that are under stress. Steve S.

I agree with Steve. You certainly can plant now and I sell perennials at the Kensigton Farmers market all summer. But with a big job, I'd wait. If your flower beds are bare earth right now, I would mulch them and wait for fall when it cools off. Otherwise you are going to have to water nearly every day through these 90 + days unless we start getting a lot more rain.

Why start out with plants under stress when they are transplanted?

Is the landscape company guaranteeing your plants? If the heat or the drought gets some of your new landscaping, will they replace them free of charge?

If they are offering a "no fault" guarantee, than you have nothing to lose if they have to redo the job in the fall. I'm curious, what did the landscape company say about the stress the plants would be under?

Thank you Steve and Kimka for your replies. I was leaning towards waiting because I figured the heat would really be stressful on the plants (and on me having to stand out there all day watering!) Behnke's does guarantee their plants but only allows one replacement for each plant. The designer told me that if the plant dies a second time, then the option is to pick a different plant for that spot. She also encouraged quick planting so as to let the plants' root structure take hold b/f the colder weather...

But I'm heeding your advice and I think I'll wait for the fall...

THANKS!

You hit the nail on the head. Thanks Kimka. Steve S.